Suitcase-latch.



L. MANN.

. SUITCASE LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1914.

Patented Dec. 22, 19M.

KMQWESSEE FF1 1Y1 ,LEO .MA-NN,.DF SAN FRANCI D, DALIEQRN'IA.

SUITCASE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedvDec. 22, 1911.

Application filed June 16, 1914. .Senial No. 845,738.

of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SuitcaseLatches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in suit case latches wherein a spring controlled hasp pivotally mounted upon the body plate operates in con unction with a recessed or shouldered projection upon the cover plate; and the objects of my invention are first, to provide an improved latch having a shouldered projection for the purpose of engaging and preventing the hasp from being unloosencd or unfastened accidentally; and second, to provide improved means for preventing the hasp from becoming disengaged from the shouldered projection. I accomplish these several features by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of'reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a latch disclosing the manner in which the end of the hasp is seated within the recessed portion of the projection on the cover plate. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line X-X of Fig. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow, disclosing the hasp seated within the recess of the projection on the cover plate and the inclined portion of the retaining spring which retains the said hasp within the said recess and also retains the said hasp in a poses of illustration, a body plate which is secured to the body of a suit case or trunk, as the case may be. The body plate 1 is provided with a hollow elongated projection 2. Within the projection 2 is pivotally mounted a hasp 3 having a projection 1 at the upper or free end thereof. The hasp 3 is n1ounted in the apertures 5 in the sides of the elongated hollow projection 2 of the body plate 1, which are large enough to forina bearing for the confined end of the hasp 3 and also to permit a slight movement of the hasp 3 relatively longitudinal with the body plate 1, The confined end of the hasp 3 is provided-with a projection 7, which is engaged by the inclined portion 8 of a retaining spring 9 secured within the elongated hollow projection 2 of the body plate 1, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully described- The cover plate 10 is provided with a proection 12 having a recessed portion 14 adapted to engage the free .end .of the hasp I 3. In..t he. present practice, the hasp 3v seats on an ordinary projection for the purpose of retaining the'cover plate, on the coverof the suit case, adjacent to the body plate 1, onthe body of the suit case, for. the purpose of preventing the cover from being opened. The cover projections are usually made of stamped or pressed material and for purposes of economy in manufacture, and also to prevent a rupture of the metal in drawing, theprojections are slightly inclined so that a tendency of the cover plate to part from the body plate will cause the hasp to slip off the projection on-the cover plate and allow the suit case to open.

In the present invention, the hasp 3 seats within the recess 14 and engages the shoulder 14 of the projection 12 and is retained in a position where the shoulder 1-1 will engage the arcuate edge 15 of the hasps and prevent the same from slipping off of the projection 12.

The inclined portion 8 of the spring 9 engages the projection 7 on the confined end of the hasp 3 and moves the same downward until the inner arcuate edge 15 of the hasp 3 is seated behind the shoulder 14. \Vhile it is retained in this position, as disclosed in Fig. i

2 of the drawings, it is evident that the hasp 3 cannot be moved outward but can be moved upward away from the projection 12 until the edge 15 of the hasp 3clears the shoulder 14'. The hasp 3 may b i d b means of the projection 4 on the upper d thereof,'which will cause the projection 7 on the lower end of the hasp 3 to move against the inclined portion 8 of the spring 9 and depress the said spring. The spring 9 win.

is also adapted to retain the hasp 3 in an open or closed position as in the present state of the art.

When the hasp 3 is closed onto the projection 12 of the cover plate 10, the tension of thespring 9 will cause the inclined portion 8 thereof to engage the projection 7 and move the hasp 3 downward until the arcuate edge 15 on the free end thereof is seated within the recesseslet and behind the shoulder 14: of the projection 12. The tension of the inclined portion 8 of the spring 9 .will.

normally engage the projection 7 on the con fined end of the hasp 3 and consequently the arcuate edge 15 will be retained within the recesses 1 1 until the said hasp 3 is raised against the tension of the spring 9 by means 0 the projection 4 on the free end thereof. Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire'to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A latch for suit cases comprising a body plate; a hasp pivotally mounted within the body plate; a cover plate having a projection thereon with a recess therein and adapted to engage the free end of the has and a spring secured to the body plate an having I an inclined portion adapted to engage the hasp and retain the free end thereof in engagement with the recess in the projection on the cover late.

2. A latch or-suitcases comprising a body plate having a hollow elongated projection thereon provided with apertures in the sides thereof; a hasp pivotally mounted within the apertures in the projection of the cover plate, the bearing portion of the said hasp the projection on the cover plate.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

I LEO MANN.

Witnesses:

BERNICE -MO0RE, JAMES F. MCCUE. 

